Lovestruck: A Cats Fanfiction
by Squirrelly Wrath05
Summary: A young tom finds love after his heart is broken at the Jellicle Ball.
1. Love lost and found

A/N: Hey everyone! This is my first fan fiction about the musical Cats. This story will be extended into further chapters. And just to clear some things up, the relationships in the musical are not canonical, as it is pretty much up to anyone's interpretation. So I don't want anyone to whine and moan that "this character doesn't belong with that one!" Just enjoy the fic. Reviews: good, flames: bad...

Disclaimer: The basis, characters, and so forth belong to T.S. Elliot and Andrew Lloyd Webber, not me. damn it...

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It had been a week since the Jellicle Ball. A week since Grizabella, the aptly-named "Disheveled Beauty", went up to the Heaviside Layer to be reborn. A week since the mysteriously wicked feline Macavity catnapped Old Deuteronomy. Things were just starting to get back to normal within the tribe. Bombalurina, the sassy scarlet queen, was still flaunting herself around the Rum Tum Tugger. And the hard-to-please tom was up to par, humorously rejecting her when she thought she finally had him. The excitable kittens, Etcetera and Electra, were loyally following him, laughing and whispering hurriedly to each other every time the tom brushed the crimson beauty off.

On the other side of the Junkyard, Tugger's older brother Munkustrap sat proudly and protectively beside his beloved mate, Demeter. The golden queen had earlier revealed to the silver tabby that he would be a father of a litter very soon. Beside them the jokesters and amateur cat-burglars Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer were playing silly pranks on the other set of identical twins, Tantomile and Coricopat. The bi-colored tom, Alonzo, was lounging languidly with his queen, Cassandra. And just beside them the magic cat Mr. Mistoffelees was busy entertaining Jemima and his new mate, the snow white queen Victoria with a show of sleight of hand.

Yes, even though Plato had been with Victoria at the Ball's mating dance, Mistofelees still professed his desire for her to be _his_ mate. What happened between her and the tall ginger and white tom was just a heat-of-the-moment occurrence. Actually Plato, who was sitting with his friends Pouncival and Tumblebrutus, although hurt at first, soon thought nothing of the event. In fact someone else had stolen his heart. It all started just after the mating dance…

~Victoria had freed herself from Plato's grasp and wandered off to Mistofelees' side. Mistofelees had a look of total and utter triumph upon his visage. The two sweetly nuzzled together within the pile of frisky felines. Plato's heart dropped. Had he done something wrong? Did their dance mean absolutely nothing to her? Before he had a chance to physically react, the outcast Grizabella had once again invited herself to the festivities. The whole tribe watched as the once proud queen tried in vain to include herself in their activities once more. Of course, the kittens were strangely fascinated with her but were held back every time they tried to show her some kindness.

Plato didn't actually dislike the shabby outsider like most of the other cats did. In all honesty, he felt bad for her and he felt even worse that he did nothing to help her when Pouncival beckoned her over only to take a swipe at her with his claws when she came near. After being humiliated yet again, Grizabella pitifully sauntered away. The cats then settled down over the Junkyard floor. Plato stared off into space, feeling guilty about not helping Grizabella and heartbroken and a little angry over Victoria's clear betrayal. He barely noticed that someone to his left was standing, but then by surprise, the sweetest sound he had ever heard in his life rang out in a lyrical plea on behalf of the old outcast feline:

"_Moonlight, turn your face to the moonlight_

_Let your memory lead you_

_Open up enter in_

_If you find there the meaning of what happiness is_

_Then a new life will begin…"_

He turned his head to seek out the lovely voice and found that it belonged to none other than the Calico kitten Jemima, who was one of Victoria's best friends. And by the Jellicle moon, she looked heavenly. Her beautiful brown eyes were wide with wonder. She stood in an elegant pose, her hand grasped within Tantomile's whose hand, in turn, was held by Coricopat. She dropped back down to the floor so gracefully that, to Plato at least, she looked like an angel landing from the heavens.

His heart began to pound, much like it had when he was with Victoria, but that moment was cheapened with the queen's defection to Mistofelees. What he was feeling was so strong that he barely suppressed the overwhelming urge to approach the ethereal beauty and embrace her. For the rest of the night, he could barely take his eyes off of the innocent kitten. It was only when Macavity attacked the tribe that he let his himself go. The criminal cat sprung at Jemima and tried to strike at her. With all his might, he jumped in-between the two and threw the villain back towards the center of the Junkyard where Munkustrap took over.

After the Ball Jemima's mother, Jennyanydots, and father, Skimbleshanks, approached the young tom. "Thank you so much, Plato," Jenny said with tears in her eyes, "If we ever lost our little Jemima, I don't know what I would do."

Skimbleshanks heartily clapped the tom on his back, "We owe you the world, lad."

"Oh, it was nothing," Plato answered humbly, "She didn't deserve anything that Macavity intended to do."

Jenny pulled the tom into a hug, "Still, we owe you a great debt for defending her. You could have been hurt!"

"She- Well, she was worth it," Plato confessed sheepishly.

A look of understanding came onto Skimbleshanks' face and he smiled knowingly as his mate pulled away from the young tom, so overjoyed that she did not entirely catch the full extent of his confession. Jenny and Skimbleshanks said their lasts goodbyes for the night and went over to their young daughter. As they were leaving the Junkyard for their human home, Jemima looked over at Plato and give him a thankful smile. An exquisite smile that made Plato melt on the spot.

'_Oh yes, _thought the lovestruck tom, _she's definitely worth it.'_~

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A/N: well, there's the first chapter. reviews are constructive, flames are not tolerated...


	2. Lovestruck Tom

A/N: Hey guys! Another chappie for ya. Sorry it's taking a while between chapters but I just started a new semester at school and my work hours are too erratic. Anyhoo, on with da fic!

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The memories of the recent Ball swam through Plato's head as he watched the sweet kitten laugh and gaze in awe at Mistoffelees' magic tricks. She smiled when Mistofelees produced a bouquet of roses out of thin air but her face fell slightly in disappointment as the magic tom presented them to Victoria. Plato made a low sound in the back of his throat at the sight of Jemima's crestfallen face, a sound which caught the attention of his companions, Pouncival and Tumblebrutus. They followed the distracted tom's line of vision and found that it rested on the Calico. Plato's moment of concern ended when Mistofelees produced a single white gardenia for his mate's best friend. Her smile became even brighter than before and the very sight of it made Plato sigh and smile with a dreamy look in his eye.

"Well, well," said Pouncival slyly, bringing Plato's attention back to his friends. "No wonder you've been stumbling over yourself like a clown every time you're in the Junkyard. You like Jems!"

The ginger and white tom could almost feel the blush singe through his fur as he lowered his head. "Shut up," he mumbled self-consciously.

"Pounce, shut your trap," Tumblebrutus stepped up to his embarrassed friend's defense. "What about your little crush on Etcetera?"

Plato's head snapped up at that. Pouncival looked very similar to how Plato looked just a few seconds before. "Well what about you and Electra," Pouncival shot back.

" Hey! That's no secret," Tumblebrutus countered in his own defense. "Face it, fellas. We're a bunch of lovelorn fools. And besides Plato, Jemima is very nice. I could see you two together."

"Yeah, so can I," Pouncival added after giving it a second of thought.

The three watched on as Mistofelees and Victoria went over to congratulate Munkustrap and Demeter, leaving Jemima sitting all alone. Tumblebrutus and Pouncival insisted that Plato go over and talk to her.

"Go on, make your move stud!" Pouncival urged, trying to push the resisting tom towards the object of his affection.

"No," Plato insisted, "I'll just make a fool out of myself! Really, it is too soon. She's not even a queen yet!"

"She'll be one soon enough. Do you really want someone else to do the honor when the time comes?" Tumblebrutus tried to reason with his friend. Plato looked sick as he imagined Jemima with someone else. "See?" Tumblebrutus said, "It's really no big deal. Just go over and strike up a conversation like normal."

"Alright, I'll go!" Plato finally gave in. However, before he could even take two steps forward, Tugger strolled over to the Calico, with Etcetera and Electra inevitably trailing behind him. Defeated, Plato slunk back toward his two friends.

"Oh great. Casanova's here!" Pouncival drawled sarcastically. Pouncival and Tumblebrutus both glared at Tugger, not only because he was ruining Plato's chance with Jemima, but also because of their own feelings for the two kittens who were always fawning over the lion-maned tom.

The flamboyant cat in question stopped in front of the kitten, who was still admiring the pretty flower. "Hey Jems," Tugger said with a smirk, "do you want to come with us? I'm gonna show you three fine felines some fun outside of the Junkyard."

All three of the on-looking toms' jaws dropped at the bawdy question.

"How do you mean?" Jemima asked in her sweet bell-like voice.

"Oh just some sightseeing, some dinner…and maybe some _cuddling_ if you want," Tugger suggested with a wink and the kittens behind him mewed eccentrically.

Tugger placed his arms around the two kittens to quiet their yowling. He pawed, not so accidentally, at Etcetera's waist which made the kitten swoon against him. Tumblebrutus and Plato could barely restrain Pouncival, as he tried to struggle out of their grip to wipe that smirk from the vulgar tom's face and wrestle his arm off of the excitable kitten.

"Pouncival, please stop!" Plato pleaded with his friend, "You don't want to cause a scene, do you?"

"Who cares? I just can't stand that Tugger!" Pouncival finally gave up with an irritated huff. "And I know you both can't either. I mean, how are we supposed to compete with that?!" Pouncival gestured back at Tugger.

Tugger, by this time, had convinced Jemima to join them on their little fieldtrip and were approaching the entrance of the Junkyard. The three defeated toms watched the four until they disappeared out of sight. At that time Jennyanydots was going around the Junkyard, questioning of her daughter's whereabouts. She stopped before Plato and his friends.

"Plato, my dear. Do you know where my little Jemima has gone? Her father and I must talk to her about something important," Jenny inquired hopefully.

Plato stalled, not wanting to get the kitten in trouble, knowing that Jenny detested the womanizing Tugger, but was pushed out the way by Pouncival. "She's with Etcetera and Electra…and Tugger," the revenge-bent tom answered nonchalantly.

"Tugger!" Jenny yelped but stifled herself, trying to remain quiet. "Where did they go?"

"Oh, I don't know. Tugger said something about having fun outside of the Junkyard and dining and _cuddling_ or something like that…"

By this time Jenny was so livid that she was starting to visibly shake. Plato stood and put his paws on her shoulders to try and calm the furious feline. Tumblebrutus shook his head while Pouncival smiled, pleased with himself. Skimbleshanks came over to his mate who was on the verge of throwing a huge scene.

"What's wrong, love? Where's Jemima?" asked the railway cat.

"She's somewhere in town with Tugger!" Jenny shouted hysterically.

Skimbleshanks eyes went wide. He himself wished that his daughter would associate with someone other than Tugger but he didn't take it to heart as much as his mate did. "Oh, I'm sure our little Jemmy will be alight," Skimbleshanks wrapped his arms around Jenny, trying to alleviate his mate's concern.

It worked. Jenny seemed to loosen up a little but she still looked worried. "I know she'll be fine; she's very bright, but still I'm not easy with her, or any of the kittens, being around Tugger unsupervised."

Skimbleshanks suddenly smiled, remembering how Plato looked at his daughter the night of the Ball. And he was also very aware of how Pouncival and Tumblebrutus felt about Etcetera and Electra. It was as if a light bulb was switched on in his brain. He turned to the three teenage toms, "Boys! Why don't you go and find the girls?"

"Us?" Plato asked, caught off guard. Jenny looked confusedly at her mate.

"Why not?" Skimbleshanks replied merrily, "You three are strong, trustworthy young lads! My mate and I would be grateful if you all will watch over the girls."

Pouncival jumped up enthusiastically, "Of course we'd be happy to!"

"Wonderful! Well, now that this is taken care of, come along Jenny dear. We need to speak to Old Deuteronomy." Skimbleshanks turned away, happily pulling Jenny along with him.

Plato and Tumblebrutus turned to their mischievous friend. "What are you doing Pouncival?" Tumblebrutus asked.

"Don't you both see?" Pouncival looked at his friends as they stared blankly back at him. "Once we find the girls and get them away from Tugger, we can finally tell them how we feel with no audience around!"

Tumblebrutus donned a smile. "You're right! It's perfect," Tumblebrutus turned to Plato, "Well what are we waiting for? Let's go."

"I don't know. What if she rejects me?" Plato answered his friends, expecting the worst of the impending situation.

"Well, we'll never know until we find out. If she does reject you, which I'm sure she won't, then it just isn't meant to be," Tumblebrutus tried to reason with his friend.

"Yeah and besides," Pouncival cut in, " I think I'll lose my salmon paste if I see a sweet thing like Jems end up with Tugger!"

Plato smiled widely and shook his head and three departed to find the kittens. Just before they reached the entrance of the Junkyard, Plato stalled. Why did Skimbleshanks suggest that the three of them, who were in love with the said kittens, go to look for them and possibly be alone with them as well? Plato turned to look for Skimbleshanks. The railway cat and Jenny were talking animatedly with the Jellicle leader, Old Deuteronomy. As if he knew, Skimbleshanks looked back at the tom and winked slyly. Plato's eyes widened and he ran to catch up with friends.

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A/N: Okay well that's another chapter, a little longer than the first. I'll write more soon. Bye!


	3. Author's Update

Hey readers, I'm sorry that I haven't been able to update for awhile.

I'm being overwhelmed with work and school and I've recently been plagued with another CATS story idea, so unfortunately I'll have to put this story on hold for a little while, just until I get some free time…


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